Infants'
heart rate rhythms are closely linked to their early vocalizations, including coos, babbles, and emerging words. Researchers found that babies were most likely to produce sounds when their heart rate reached a peak or trough, with speech-like sounds occurring
during heart rate deceleration.
Researchers
have uncovered how visual information is processed across the brain’s complex and flexible networks. One study showed visual signals are selectively targeted or broadly broadcast, challenging the idea of a simple, linear flow of visual input.
Scientists
sent stem-cell-derived brain organoids to the International Space Station (ISS) to study the effects of microgravity on brain development. After a month in orbit, the organoids remained healthy but displayed accelerated maturation and reduced replication compared
to Earth-grown controls. Gene expression analysis revealed higher levels of genes linked to neuron maturity and lower levels of stress-related inflammation, challenging initial hypotheses.
A
new study suggests complex beliefs like paranoia may have roots in visual misperception. Participants prone to paranoia or teleological thinking were more likely to wrongly identify one moving dot as chasing another in a visual task.